Especially since Caturday was a lovely, cold, and rainy day which was strange but welcome so late in the year; we've already had our first 100-degree temp here in the Valley, so suddenly dropping into the 40's was quite a shock. I had to dig out the thermal shirts I'd just packed away.

Not sure what this tree was. One thing about the Botanical Garden, all the plants we already knew the names of were clearly marked...

Then, abruptly in the middle of the day, it cleared up and Barb and I went outside to chop down the overgrown and frost-killed parts of the bougainvillea, a task usually filled with thorns (as usual), but somehow managed to get it done and even the branches hauled to the alley (one year we made a big pile in the yard "to do later" and didn't get it done for nearly a year). About a half hour or so after we finished, the blue sky vanished and it poured rain for about an hour, soaking everything. Nice!

We thought he was feral when we first saw him:

But turns out he lives there, as we discovered when he saw him get up on his perch in the garden gift shop window (bonus shot):

But we managed to get a few things done on Caturday, anyway, as well as the yard work -- managed to at least clean SOME of the things, and got a load of stuff off to Goodwill (I'm making progress in working toward NOT being a hoarder), and, biggest news, we knuckled down and decided we ARE going to New York to visit framefolly! This will mean we also get to meet nutmeg3, YAY!!! So I'm all filled with New York Excitement.

Then had Thai cabbage wraps for dinner with all the gang over and chocolate fondue.

Sunday kept busy, taking care of shopping and watching some DVDs, then had Barb's mom over for dinner, roast chicken, rice, potatoes, gravy, veggies. I was pleased.

I was pleased with this shot:

I finally finished the Great Big Chenille Afghan. Joy! Then spent a little time Sunday casting around for a new project to undertake. I have six skeins of the lightweight chenille, which isn't enough for another afghan, so I'm just sort of playing with it.

I need to upload stuff from the cameras, but in the meantime, there's lots more Botanical Gardens... and more butterflies!

Today was very busy. I haven't lost any weight, but things are moving back into the correct places now that I'm working out again. Hopefully the weight will follow, provided I can retain some willpower. Mantra: "Thin for New York!"

I took the leftovers from last night and made a layered casserole from the rice, chicken, and veggies. It came out good.

It is pretty -- I was trying for some tight shots on the puff balls it puts forth as its flowers, and I got a couple; the leaves are larger and broader than most acacia, so I just don't know what it is!

Yeah, but back there, living in another state is apparently not such a big deal as it is out here (we spent some of Saturday trying to figure out why it is a website I was looking at seemed to feel it was all right to list restaurants in Phoenix AND Tucson, as though you could hit them both in one evening. Not to mention Flagstaff).